Wrench.



H. v. HL'JIGHES.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1911.

1,261,540. Patented Apr. 2,1918.

Q E a i 4W3 WITNESSES INVENTOI? 2% 26. W

,4 TTOR/VEYS HUGHEY V. HUGHES, OF MIAMI, ARIZONA.

. WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Application filed April 14, 1917. Serial No. 162,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGHEY V. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Miami, in the county of Gila and State of Arizona, have invented a new and Improved Wrench, of which the following is a) full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to wrenches, and more particularly to wrenches of the S-shape type. It has for its object to provide a strong and durable wrench which is compact, and which is operable without a thread and screw.

The construction of the wrench is such that the wrench may be quickly adjusted to different size nuts without the necessity of the mechanic using both hands to obtain this adjustment.

Additional objects of the invention will appear in the following specification, in which the preferred form of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawings, similar reference characters denote imilar parts in all the views, in which Figure 1 is a view illustrating my wrench;

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating one of the arms of the Wrench;

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but illustrating the manner in which the arms may be moved on their pivots to disengage the teeth on one of the arms t'rom the teeth on the other arm; and

Fi 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the wrench, which is preferably of the S-shapc type, has two arms 10 and 11, the arm 10 havinga jaw member 12 at one end and a jaw member 13 at its other end, and the arm 11 having a jaw mcmberld at one end and a jaw member 15 at its other end. The arm 10 has two fingers l6, and

r the arm 11 has two fingers 17, these fingers 16 and 17 being preferably disposed adjacent the jaw members. The arm 10 has two guideways 18 in which the fingers 17 are disposed, and the arm 11 has two guideways 1 9 in which the fingers 16 are disposed. As will be seen by referring to the drawings, the fingers 16 at one end of the arm 10 and the guideway 18 at the other end of the said arm, are disposed at one side of the arm 10, the other finger and guideway being disposed at the other side of the; said arm. The fingers and guideways on the arm 11- are similarly disposed. The arm 10 has teeth 20 in itsguidcways 18, these teeth 20 being extended along itsfingers 16, the teeth 20 normally engaging teeth 21 in the guideways 19 of the arm 11, these teeth 21 extending long the fingers 17 onthe said arm. The teeth 20 and 21 are so disposed that when they engage each other, they prevent the movement. of the arms 10 and 11 away from each other, it being possible, however, to rotate one of the arms slightly relatively to the other, and disengage the teeth 20 from the teeth 21 to-permit the movement of the arms 10 and 11 away from each other, the movement of the arms toward each other being permitted by the shape of the teeth. Thearms 10 and 11 are connected at their central portions by a pin 22 which is secured to the arm 11 at 23, and

whit-h is disposed in an orifice 24 in the arm 10. This pivotal means permits of the necessary rotary movement of one of the arms relatively to the other to disengage the teeth in the manner which has been described. As a means of holding the fingers 16 and 17 with the teeth thereon in engagement with the teeth in the guideways 18 and 19, I mount leaf spring 25 on the arm 11 which press against the fingers on the companion arm, and hold them with their teeth in engagement with the teeth in the guideways, in the manner described. I also provide springs 26, which connect the arms 10 and 11 and which serve to move the arms 10 and 11 away from each other when the teeth on the fingers 16 and 17 are disengaged from the teeth in the guidcways 18 and 19.

It will be readily understood that in using the wrench, it is possible for the mechanic with one hand to press the jaw member at the end of one of the arms laterally rela tively to the jaw member at the said end of the other arm to disengage the teeth on the fingers 16 and 17 from the teeth. in the guideways 1S and 19, when the springs 26 will move the arms 10 and 11 away from each other. \Vhen this has been done, the mechanic may dispose the jaw members at one end of the wrench at opposite sides of a nut, and press the arms 10 and 11 in the direction of each other, which movement is permitted by the teeth on the fingers and in and at one end of the wrench fitsnugly against the sides of the nut, the wrench may be turned in the usual manner-without any possibility of the jaw members moving away from each other until this movement is desired by'the mechanic.

If desired, the wrench maybe constructed with the space between the jaw members at one, end of the wrench greater, than the space between the aw members at the other end of the wrench when the arms are at a predetermined position, so that with the movement of the arms in the direction of each other a greater number of adjustments may he obtained.

Should the opening between .the jaws at one end of the wrench be one-half inch and the opening-between the jaws at the otheg' end of wrench be nine-sixteenths of an inch and the teeth 20 and also the teeth 21 be spaced one-eighth of an inch apart, by closing the jaws one space or one-eighth of an inch two new sized openings between the jaws will he obtained, one three-eighths of an inch and the other seven-sixteenths of an inch. In this way one-sixteenth of anineh graduations are obtained although the locking teeth are spaced one-eighth of an inch apart.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1L Ina wrench, two arms having opposed gripping jaws and provided with interen-' gaging teeth and pivotal means connecting the arms and having its axis substantially perpendicular to the planes of the gripping faces of the jaws.

2. In a wrench, two arms having opposed gripping jaws and provided Withinterengaging teeth means for slidably and pivotally mounting the arms, the axis of the pivot being substantially perpendicular to the planes of the gripping faces of said jaws.

3. in a Wrench, two arms having opposed gripping jaws and provided with interengaging teeth which normally engage each other, pivotal means connecting the arms and having its axis perpendicular to the planes of the gripping faces of said jaws,

menace to the other to disengage the teeth on one arm from the teeth on the other arm, resilient means for forcing the arms apart when the teeth of the arms are disengaged.

5. In a wrench, two arms having opposed gripping jaws and\ provided with teeth which normally engage each other and which when thus engaged prevent the move ment of the arms-away from each. other while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction of each other, means for slidably and pivotally mounting the arms, the axis of the pivot being snhstantiallyv perpendicular to the planes of the gripping faces of said jaws, the pivotal means per- Knitting a swinging movement of one arm relatively to the other to disengage the teeth on one arm from the teeth on the other arm, resilient means for holding the teeth of the arms inengagement, and resilient means for forcing the arms apart when the teeth are disengaged.

6-. In a wrench, two arms each having a jaw member, there being a guideway with teeth on one arm, and a finger with teeth on the other arm which its in the guide way, the teeth normally en aging each other, and which when thus engaged prevent the movement of the arms away from each other while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction of each other, means for slidably and pivotally mounting the arms, whereby the arms can he swung relatively one to the other to move the teeth on the finger out of engagement with the 'teeth in the guideway, and resilient means for pressing the finger into the guideway for holding the teeth on the finger in engagement with the teeth in the guideway.

7. In a wrench, two arm, each having a jaw member, there being a gnideway with teeth on one arm, and a finger with teeth on the other arm which fits in the guideway, the teeth normally engaging each other, and which when thus engaged. the vent the movement of the arms away from each other while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction of each other, means for slidably and' iivotally mounting the arms whereby the arms can be swung relatively one to the other to move the teeth on the finger out of engagement with the teeth in the guideway, resilient means for, pressing the finger into the guideway for holding the teeth on the finger in ment with the teeth-in the guideway, and

resilient means for holding the arms yieldingly away from each other when the teeth on the finger are disengaged from the teeth in the guideway.

8. In a wrench, two arms each having a jaw member, and a finger extending from the arm, there being a guideway in each arm in which the fingers on the companion arm are disposed, the arms at the 'guidewa s and.

the fingers being provided with teeth which normally engage each other and which when thus engaged prevent the movement of the arms away from each other while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction, of each other, means connectlng the arms, said means comprlslnga pin secured .to one arm and working loosely 1n an aper- I ture of, the other arm, and means for-holding the teeth of the fin er in engagement with the teeth of the gui es.

' 9. In a wrench, two arms each having a jaw member and a finger extending from the arm, there being a guideway in one arm in which the finger on the companion arm is disposed, the arms at the guideway and the finger being provided with teeth which normally engage each other and which when thus engaged prevent the movement of the arms away from each other while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction of each other, means connecting the arms, said means comprising a pin secured to one arm and working loosely in an aperture of the other arm, a spring engaging the finger for holding the teeth, thereof, yieldingly in engagement with the teeth of the guideway, and springs between the arms for holding them away from each other, when the teeth are out of engagement with each other.

10. In a wrench, two arms each having jaw members at its ends and 'two fingers spaced apart, there being two guideways' 11. In a wrenchytwo arms each having jaw members at its ends and two fingers spaced apart, there being twoguideways spaced apart in each arm in which the fingers of the companion arms are disposed, the arms at the guidewaysand the fingers being provided with teeth which normally engage each other and which when thus engage prevent the movement of the arms away from each other, while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction of each other, pivotal means connecting the arms between the fingers which permit a movement of the arms to disengage the teeth on one arm from the teeth on the other arm, and resilient means for holding one arm between its teeth yieldin ly in engagement withthe teeth on the ot er arm.

12. In a wrench, two arms each having jaw members at its ends and two fingers spaced apart, there being two guideways spaced apart in each arm in which the fingers of the companion arms are disposed, the arms at the guideways and the fingers being provided with teeth which normally engage each other and which when thus engaged prevent the movement of the arms away from each/other, while permitting the movement of the arms in the direction of eachother, pivotal means connectingthe arms between the fingers which permit a movement of the arms to disengage the. teeth on one arm from the teeth on the other arm, and resilient means for holding one arm with its teeth yieldingly in engagement with the teeth on the other arm and for holding the arms yieldingly away from each other when the teeth on one arm are out of engagement with the teeth on the other arm.

HUGHEY V. HUGHES. 

